A 13-year-old basketball player has 4 months of anterior knee pain localized to the tibial tubercle, worsened by jumping and squatting and relieved by rest. There is tenderness and prominence over the tibial tubercle bilaterally, with full range of motion and no effusion. What is the most likely diagnosis?

• A Chondromalacia patellae
• B Patellar tendinitis
• C Osgood-Schlatter disease (traction apophysitis of the tibial tubercle) ✓
• D Osteochondritis dissecans of the femoral condyle

Explanation

Osgood-Schlatter disease results from repetitive traction of the patellar tendon on the immature tibial tubercle apophysis in physically active adolescents, producing point tenderness, swelling, and prominence at the tubercle that is usually bilateral. Patellar tendinitis is tender at the inferior pole of the patella rather than the tubercle, chondromalacia causes retropatellar pain without bony prominence, and osteochondritis dissecans causes vague knee pain with effusion.

Reference: Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics, 21st ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.